Following Real Madrid’s exit from the UEFA Champions League, the Spanish club plans on firing Coach Manuel Pellegrini at the end of the 2010 season, and thefront-runner to replace the Chilean is Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.
“Rafa is the preferred choice,” says a Real source. “He is a Madrid manand his agent, Manuel Garcia Quillon, has an excellent relationship with the club. Above all, though, his record in Europe is exceptional. The club wants toreturn where they believe they belong — to be the No. 1 team in Europe again. They believe Rafa is the man to make that happen.”
Benitez was a coach at Real’s academy at the start of hiscareer.